The Demon Tower

This is a CHILDRENS STORY, before you read.
In a small village surrounded by nothing but forest, twenty people, mostly children, are chosen to be sacraficed to the demons who live in a huge tower. Librae Pertshire is chosen. No one has ever escaped before, but she vows to be the first.

My younger sister, Xandra's face is pale white and I can tell she's been crying, again. This is the third time in two days, but I can understand. She must be afraid, since the choosing is tonight.

"I-I saw her!"

"Who?"

"I-It was Amiala! She was outsi-outside our window!" She's gasping when she speaks.

I sigh. Xandra keeps thinking she sees Amiala, the angel goddess of death, outside our window. She thinks that means she will get chosen to... to...

"She really was there!"

"Oh, Xandra..." I am getting a bit tired of waking up to this every morning. Xandra is just seeing things, she's just worried. Amiala isn't real. Our people stopped believeing in her, just
like the other gods, thousands of years ago. Now all we know is fear and demons.

"Librae, why won't you listen? She was!"

"You've said that every morning for three days."

"And she has been coming! All the time! She's trying to tell me something."

Xandra really doesn't understand that there is no goddess, does she? "Xandra! Just... Just go get dressed. Mum wants us to finish our costumes for tonight."

"I am going to go as Amiala!"

"Well... I am going as Vria." Vria is one of the demons in the tower. She's a girl, with a wolf's head, paws, and tail. She's the most scary looking, a lot of people think, but I know that she
isn't the worst. Just thinking about that place makes my head sore.

"She's... scary." My younger sister shudders.

"Amiala is boring."

I look out the cracked window. My mother couldn't afford to get it repaired. One day I'll get some work and give us a better life. Maybe we should run away, so none of us have to die. But I know
that will never happen.

"Maybe, but she's the most fun to make!"

"Vria looks better."

"I don't care!" Xandra storms away, and I get up and begin sewing my costume together. I am putting on my dress, but I have to make a mask and gloves from scratch. My mother taught me to sew and
craft, but I am no expert. And when I am finished, it looks like a dead dog.

"That's good."

I jump a little as my mother comes up behind me, holding my little brother, Tyler. Tyler laughs and giggles a lot, which makes me smile. He doesn't understand that we are so poor, that we can only
afford for him to have a few toys and a place to sleep. I wish I was that age again, when I had no worries, no fears of demons.

"Thanks..." I mutter as I put the finishing touches on the gloves.

"Are you worried?"

"No." I say quickly.

"Don't lie to me, Librae."

I sigh. "I'm not worried about me... It's Xandra."

"She looks happy, making her costume."

"Yeah, I know... But I bet she really is scared. I know she won't be chosen, but it's her first year. She'll be worried sick even if you don't think it, and what if she is chosen?"

"Librae... Don't speak like that. You just have a good time before the choosing, OK? Look after your little sister tonight."